BY DAN TUOHYNew Hampshire Union LeaderSeptember 03. 2014 12:41PMU.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, will rally supporters of congressional hopeful Marilinda Garcia in Nashua on Sunday, as one of her Republican rivals continues to accuse her of being soft on illegal immigration.

The Cruz visit is tailored toward that criticism from Gary Lambert, who lives in Nashua.

Cruz is expected to backstop the Garcia campaign's insistence that she is focused on securing the border and opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Cruz, in a statement made available through the Garcia campaign, had this to say:

"I'm proud to support Marilinda Garcia in her campaign to represent New Hampshire's second congressional district because she is the candidate who will fight to stop President Obama's amnesty, work to secure the border, and celebrate a legal immigration system that both protects immigrants and our national security interests. Marilinda will stand up for the citizens of New Hampshire to repeal Obamacare, protect our constitutional rights, and restore jobs and economic growth."

Cruz is scheduled to speak at a Garcia rally Sept. 7 at 1:30 p.m. at Nashua City Hall, third floor.

He plans to speak to activists at the Republican State Committee's offices in Concord and Manchester on Sunday morning.

Lambert has criticized Garcia on illegal immigration for a month now, including in campaign mailers and in television ads.

At issue is a resolution she co-sponsored last year at the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators that called for comprehensive immigration reform. It including the wording "legalizing the undocumented population," which is part of the Lambert criticism.

Former state Rep. Jim Lawrence of Hudson is also running for the GOP nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.

The winner of Tuesday's primary will face Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster in the general election on Nov. 4.